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The Manningtree Witches

 
Paul T. Davies Review by Paul T. Davies 5 Published: 5 Mar 2026 Mercury Theatre - Colchester Show Dates: 28 Feb 2026-14 Mar 2026

On the surface, this is another in a line of adapted books at the Mercury theatre, and adaptations are all the rage at the moment. But this is a book, by A K Blakemore, of depth, and this powerful, emotive and superbly staged production is the best I have seen here for a long time. A co-production with Frantic Assembly, Scott Graham’s movement direction is as exceptional as you would expect from the company’s artistic director. Add to that the adaptation by the mighty Ava Pickett – whose wonderful, Essex-based play 1536 begins a West End run this summer – and the sensitive, exciting direction by Natasha Rickman, and you have a production that deserved its opening night standing ovation.

We know Matthew Hopkins’s name, but not the women he murdered.

For generations, our introduction to witchcraft trials began with Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. This British story, rooted in local history, flips everything away from Miller’s play and gives voice to the women – those murdered and those who survived.

There isn’t a weak link among the cast. At the centre of the novel and play is feisty, strong Rebecca West, our narrator, accused of witchcraft. Lucy Mangan gives one of the best performances I have ever seen, exceptional in its understanding of the emotional arc of the character – a strength that refuses to be shaped by the men persecuting her and by her circumstances, yielding only when she absolutely has to.

Estranged from her “bawdy” mother, Anna “The Bedlam” West – another outstanding performance by Gina Isaac – their journey from conflict and defiance to accepted love is wonderfully portrayed. Fiona Branson captures the fragility of the elderly Bess Clarke, while Amy Cudden is excellent, particularly as the bitter Priscilla Briggs. Mia Jerome, Maria Louis and Chileya Mwampulo bring vivid life to the village women.

It would be easy to portray the men as simply evil – in particular “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins – but the script, and Sam Mitchell’s performance, tease out the fear and insecurity of the man. The circumstances and restraints under which they all live – although far less oppressive than those faced by the women – are captured subtly by Gavin Fowler as a lovestruck John Edes, and by the multi-rolling Jack Gogarty, particularly as a beautifully human and perceptive doctor towards the play’s end.

They are supported by a community chorus that fills Sara Perks’ outstanding set design with life and bustle, moving set and people beautifully. In many ways it reminded me of Beah Flintoff’s The Ballad of Maria Marten: both take a local story passed down and told by men and rework the myth to place women centre stage.

As the play progresses, the battle for the soul becomes a powerful duet between Rebecca and Hopkins, and the segue into its contemporary relevance is handled well. We know Matthew Hopkins’s name, but not the women he murdered. Add Jack the Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, Steve Wright and too many others, and it is a message we all need to hear.

The entire run is sold out, proving there is a thirst for new work on the main stage here, and I hope this remarkable production gains further life.

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The Blurb:

Based on the award-winning novel by A. K. Blakemore, the gripping historical drama is a fiercely modern exploration of fear, control, and what happens when women’s voices are silenced. Following 17-year-old Rebecca West in 1643 Essex, The Manningtree Witches tells the true story of England’s first Witchfinder General and wrenches the women he killed out from the shadows of history and into the spotlight.